Hello friends,
Recent tropical rains here in Colombia flooded the city we are in; roads became rivers and Ryan and I needed to hold hands to support each other when crossing the streets in order to fight the currents and standing waves. We wondered at the parasites and tropical diseases we could have picked up while wading through the thigh-high waters in this tropical, developing city. And yet I knew that this was nothing compared to what it would look like if we were in Haiti. Only an hour's flight away yet worlds apart.
Of course my mind came back to cholera. Spread through the water, this bacteria sneaks its way into your food, your bathing, your water. And creates mayhem. No cholera here in Colombia, and if there was it would be well-treated and controlled. People have access to clean water everywhere, even in the thick dense jungle.
But in Haiti it is different; the cholera treatment centers are struggling still with staffing levels, supplies, and rising numbers of patients. Reports keep coming in from various isolated communities in the north of patients dying en route, being turned away by hospitals ill-equipped to deal with cholera, or having not enough money to pay for the five cent fare to make it to any centers. Even the centers staffed by our own teams are fighting to stay abreast of the chaos; exhausted from working too much and frustrated by constant deaths and not enough resources, the medical staff are tiring, and people continue to die. It is thankless work, let me tell you, but they still need your help.
Cholera has reached port-au-prince and is quickly grasping hold of the worst slums. For some reason I thought the numbers wouldn't be bad in the capital; I was wrong. The numbers are climbing daily, and the statistics point to a constant increase. Many more will die, and more still will be infected. Estimates say 200,000 deaths will result from this outbreak, and we are only at 1300 at present. It is so sad, and so brutal, because this disease is so treatable. IF you get to the hospital in time. IF the hospital will take you in. And IF the hospital that takes you in then has access to the right resources and staffing levels. Resources are not much; all you really need is a constant supply of IV fluids, IV supplies, and diapers. Yet somehow it has been a challenge to supply most of the CTC with these items.
Please take the time to read this graphic but honest blog on cholera in Haiti's capital:
http://goatpath.wordpress.com/2010/11/22/cholera-reaches-port-au-prince-as-victims-are-left-in-mass-graves/
And please, in this holiday season, consider making a donation to Partners in Health, towards cholera treatment. They run many of the CTCs in the north, and have been present in Haiti for decades. They know the country, its people, and how to fight this battle. You can donate here:
https://donate.pih.org/page/contribute/donate
If you haven't already done so, please take the time to read my recent post "Love in the time of cholera". You will get a good idea of what it is like to work in a CTC.
Thank you all for your continued love and support; this means so much to me, and it pains me to see all the suffering in my cherished Ayti. Much much love from me.
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